随着全球气候变暖的问题日益加重，气候变化成为老挝一个重要问题，主要是农业活动和森林砍伐导致全球变暖的影响。科学家预测，受冰川作用的直接影响，老挝的气温将继续上升，旱季将持续延长。此外，据预测，降水量增加、严重风暴、长期干旱和特大洪水灾害将更加严重和频繁发生。降水量将变得更加难以预测，干旱或洪水等自然灾害将更加严重。
老挝的基础设施和经济发展严重依赖自然资源。气候的变化对老挝农村居民的生计和生活环境产生了重大影响。屡次暴发洪水和特大风暴摧毁了基础设施，损坏了道路，破坏了建筑物，并中断了电力供应。此外，洪水和干旱导致农作物减产，饮用水和灌溉水减少，水源传播疾病以及疟疾和登革热等传染病的流行和传播更加严重。
气候变化也影响到老挝的经济增长，因为制造业依赖采矿、水力发电和木材加工业。同样，农业、畜牧业、林业和渔业也依赖于可利用的土地、适宜的温度和降水等自然条件。地下水枯竭导致农业产量下降，这使得经济依赖于农业的老挝粮食匮乏，贫困加重。
In 2016, GDP grew by an average of 7.5%. However, 20 per cent of the population consumes less than the minimum dietary needs, and the country still lags behind in reducing child stunting.
Despite a decade of economic growth driven by hydropower and mining, it has created few jobs. Most of the labor force in Laos is in the agricultural sector, and one of the main problems facing the development of the private sector is the lack of labor force. The region has the highest illiteracy rate and the lack of education makes its development very disadvantageous.
Due to its inland location, Laos faces economic and trade challenges. In addition, there are the management and policy issues of gradually opening up investment to foreign countries.
The Lao government is keen to increase foreign investment and regional trade flows. In 1987, Laos opened its foreign economy and trade. Laos joined the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in 1997 and the World Trade Organization in 2013.
The mining and energy sectors will drive medium - and long-term growth. It is estimated that the annual revenue of Nantun River Cascade II hydropower station in the first year of operation is US $13 million, and it is expected to reach US $150 million by 2033. Laos only needs to produce a small amount of energy, which can be exported to Thailand and Vietnam.
The country's seventh national plan hoped to maintain strong economic growth and reduce poverty in order to graduate from the list of least developed countries by 2020. The plan aims to achieve sustainable economic growth by improving public infrastructure and expanding the economic base, while ensuring the protection of natural resources and the environment.
